£5,000 boost for Dinnington school

Dinnington High — which changed its name from Dinnington Comprehensive a fortnight ago — was among the 11 schoold nationally congratulated by schools minister David Laws as he announced the 2015 Pupil Premium Awards winners.

The awards are allocated based on GCSE results for pupils from the most underprivileged families.

Head teacher Paul Blackwell explained that the results of Dinnington students receiving free schools meals had been compared with their counterparts from other schools across the country.

In English, for example, the percentage of Dinnington free meals students improving three attainment levels on the way to passing their GCSEs was 69 per cent — 18 per cent above the national average.

Mr Blackwell said the recognition by Mr Laws was “very much appreciated”.

Dinnington, along with the other winners, will now be invited to apply for prizes worth up to £250,000.

Mr Blackwell said: “We have 1,500 words to outline how we have gone about improving standards.”

Final prizes will be awarded at a ceremony hosted by deputy prime minister Nick Clegg in March.